Combined tobacco-tamp and pipe-stem cleaner



(NO Model) J. STRAGHAN.

COMBINED TOBACGO TAMP AND PIPE STEM CLEANER. No. 400,966. Patented Apr.9, 1889.

951 M GHQ anew MIX N. PETERS. Pholo-Llih ngmpher. Washington. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH STRACHAN, OF

BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

COMBINED TOBACCO-TAMP AND PIPE-STEM CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,966, dated April 9,1889.

Application filed June 9, 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH STRACHAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have inventeda certain new and Improved Cornbined Tobaceo-Tamp and Pipe-Stem Cleaner,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof.

This invention consists of a device cheap and simple in construction andadapted to be carried in the pocket of the user, which combines thefunctions of a tobacco-tamp and a pipe-stem cleaner. These features areso combined that the handle of the tamp acts'as a casing and holder forthe pipe-stem cleaner, the tamp-button and pipe-stem cleaner beingconnected together.

When used as a tamp, the device externally consists of a handle and abutton at the end of the same, and it is adapted to be used by pressingthe button upon the surface of the tobacco in the bowl of a pipe, so asto consolidate the burning tobacco into a compact mass. When the deviceis used to clean a pipe-stem, the cleaner is pushed out and caused toproj ect from the casin g, and the casing then forms a handle whichgreatly facilitates the manipulation of the cleaner.

The invention also contemplates so constructing the device that thetamp-button is used to move the pipe-stem cleaner within the casing, andalso holds the cleaner in its two extreme positions; but to describe myinvention more particularly I will now refer to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation showing my combinedinstrument in condition to be used as a tobacco-tamp. Fig. 2 is asection of the same, taken on the line 00 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is anelevation showing the instrument in condition to be used as a pipe-stemcleaner.

The casing a consists of a cylindrical shell, preferably of metal,having a longitudinal slot, a, formed therein, extending from a pointnear one end of the casing to and through the other end thereof. \Vithinthe casing to is fitted a plunger, b, which carries the wire pipestemcleaner 0. This wire is shown doubled and twisted through part of itslength, with a loop at its end. vIt can be inserted'within a pipe-stemto remove the fluid or semi-fluid Serial No. 276.602, (No model.)

matter which collects therein, and when a thorough cleaning is desired acloth can be placed in the loop at the end of the wire.

The disk-shaped button (1 is the tobaccotamp. It has a shank that passesthrough the slot a, and is pivoted at its inner end in the plunger 5.WVhen the stem-cleaner c is entirely within the casing, or in itsextreme inner position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the button d can bemoved to the position in which it is shown in these figuresviz., withits face at right angles to the axis of the easing. When in suchposition, it is adapted to be used as a tamp, and it also holds thecleaner '0 securely in its inner position, the metal of the casing beingforced partly over or the end partly closed, as shown at b, to form abackstop for the plunger 12. The device will generally be carried in thepocket of the user with the parts in this condition, as the cleaner 0 isthereby protected from injury and prevented from soiling the clothing,and also because the tamp is used more frequently than the cleaner. Imight here observe that the device is of convenient size to be carriedin the vestpocket of the user, among pencils, &c., so that whenever hedesires to tamp the tobacco in his pipe he need only take the devicefrom his pocket, perform the operation, and replace it in his pocket. Tomake the device less bulky when carried in the pocket, I cut a notch, a,at the rear end of the slot a, so that the shank of the button (I may beheld therein,

when the face of the button is parallel to the axis of the casing.

\Vhen the device is to be used to clean a pipe-stem, the button (I ismoved on its pivotal connection with the plunger 1) into a position atright angles to its previous position, with its face parallel to theaxis of the casin g a. The shank of the button (I then slides freely inthe slot a, and the cleaner 0 is pushed out to the position shown inFig. 3, the button (1 acting as a handle to impart motion to the same.The cleaner can be securely held in this extreme outer position bymoving the button (I so that its shank engages the notch a (shown inFig. 1,) at the end of the slot a.

It is obvious that the length of the cleaner 0 is not necessarilylimited by the length of the tube, as it may be made of soft wire twoand the cleaner thus retained in the casing or three times the lengthshown, so as to be I cleaner, COIlSlSt'lllg' of a hollow (ijfillldllcfllbent double or treble before being pushed within the tube.

\Ylntt I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters .latent, is:

l. A ('roinbimgd tolmeco-tzunp and pipe-stein eleziner, consisting of ahollow easing having it longitudinal slot formed therein, at tampbuttonit one end of the easingof greater dimneier than the easing, and a wirepipe-stem c-leztner sliding within the casing, the tmnpbutton beingeonneeted to the pipe -steni elenner, substantially as shown anddescribed.

so as to assume two positions, in one sliding freel3 in the slot and[forming :1 handle for moving the pipe-stein cleaner within the easingand in the other held at the end of the slot and adapted to be used as atmnp, subsmntinlly as shown and described.

slottml easing, it wire l'iipe-stenl. el'eztner held in a plungersliding within the easing, and 2t disk-shamed tninp-buttoi'l passingthrough the slot of. the easing and pivoted to the plunge so as toassume two positions thereon at right angles to (fLCll other, in onesliding freely in the slot and forming at handle for moving thepipe-stein eleztner within the easing and in the other held at the endof the slot and mlnpted to be used as EL tmnp, substantially as shownand deseribed.

1-. A combined tobacco-temp and pipe-stein cleaner, eonsisting ot thehollow ensi ng u, lHLV- ing the slot (1 ZLllCl notches C02 a" formedtherein, the looped wire stein-cleaner 0, carried by the plunger I), andthe disk-shaped temp-button (7, projecting through the slot of the ensing and pi Voted to the plunger 11, substantially as shown anddesm'ibed.

JOSEPH SIHAUII'AN.

\Vitnesses:

111mm? 1). WILLIAMS, EDWIN SEonR.

